Graduation of Timo Hopp

Timo's thesis was "Ruthenium isotope fractionation in meteorites and the late accretion history of Earth.". Members of the committee were Prof. Harald Strauss (WWU), Thorsten Kleine (WWU), Stefan Weyer (University of Hannover), Klaus Mezger (University of Bern) and Stephan Klemme (WWU).

Markus Patzek received Brian-Mason-Award

Markus Patzek received the Brian Mason Award (1,500 $) for his abstract presented at the Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society in Moscow (July 22. – 27., 2018).
This award honors young PhD students and is sponsored by the “Meteorite Times Magazine” and the „International Meteorite Collectors Association (IMCA)“. Markus reports the discovery of volatile-rich fragments in brecciated meteorites that are different in their mineralogical and isotopical composition from CI chondrites. This result indicates a larger variability of primitive CI-like material in the early Solar System 4.5 billion years ago. The new discovered fragments are important to understand the composition of building blocks of terrestrial planets.

29-05-2018

Graduation of Samuel Ebert

Samuel's thesis was "The only constant is change: Identifying the fingerprints of primary material after secondary processes in the Early Solar System". Members of the committee were Prof. Thorsten Kleine, Prof. Alexander Deutsch, Dr. Greg Bennecka, and the thesis supervisor Prof. Addi Bischoff (all WWU).

PROMOS mobility programme of the DAAD

The PROMOS mobility programme, established in 2011 by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), finances short-term study visits abroad (up to six months). Students of the University of Münster can apply directly to the University to receive funding for specific foreign study-related purposes.

Please note that the PROMOS website is updated on a regular basis. This particularly applies to the application modalities and restrictions with regard to fundable expenditures on the part of the faculties.

+++ The next PROMOS application deadline for visits abroad starting between July and December 2018 is 15 April 2018. +++

Graduation of Maximilian Matthes

The dissertation was on the chronology of differentiated planetesimals. Members of the committee were Prof. Harry Becker (FU Berlin), Prof. Ingo Leya (Univeristy of Bern), Prof. Erik Scherer (WWU) and the thesis supervisor Prof. Thorsten Kleine (WWU).

03.4.2017

Graduation of Hannes Bernhardt

The dissertation was on the Geology and History of the Hellas and Argyre basins and their Implications for the Geologic und Climatic Evolution of Mars. Members of the committee were Prof. Harry Hiesinger, Prof. Addi Bischoff (WWU) and Prof. Ralf Jaumann (DLR). Prof. Harry Hiesinger (WWU) and Dr. Dennis Reiss (WWU) were the thesis supervisors.

Early arrival of water on Earth - new publication in "Nature"

Water on Earth is the precondition for life as we know it. But where does it come from, and how long has it been here? Using precise isotope measurements researchers at the Institute for Planetology show that water arrived early during the main stages of Earth’s accretion, and not, as is often assumed, as part of the 'late veneer'. Their findings have been published in the latest issue of the journal "Nature".

The work was carried out as part of the Collaborative Research Centre TRR 170 entitled "Late accretion onto terrestrial planets" and was supported with funding from the German Research Foundation.

All objects in our solar system are build from matter synthesized in previous generations of stars. Using high-precision isotope measurements of neodymium and samarium, scientists from Münster (Germany), Chicago and Livermore (USA) have now found that Earth contains more material from red giant stars than primitive meteorites (chondrites) located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Since their formation about 4.56 billion years ago, chondritic meteorites have not been modified substantially, and so have commonly been used to constrain the isotopic and chemical composition of bulk Earth. The accurate and precise knowledge of Earth’s composition is essential for determining its differentiation history, internal structure and geodynamic evolution. The study now published in Nature shows that chondritic meteorites - contrary to current assumptions – are not representative for Earth’ isotopic composition.

Researchers report on findings from Dawn space mission

In 2015 the Dawn spacecraft reached the asteroid Ceres, the largest celestial body in the so-called asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The data collected by Dawn will make it possible for scientists to analyse the geological properties of Ceres and understand its origins. The latest issue of the "Science" journal contains reports by several international teams of researchers on their findings. For the first time, they are able to provide a comprehensive description of the asteroid. One of the studies was carried out by a team headed by Prof. Harald Hiesinger from the Institute of Planetology at Münster University. The scientists involved examined the crater structures on the asteroid’s surface.Official WWU Press Release

10.8.2016

Nier Prize of the Meteoritical Society for Dr. Greg Brennecka

Greg Brennecka is the recipient of the 2016 Nier Prize of the Meteoritical Society.

"The Nier Prize recognizes outstanding research in meteoritics and closely allied fields by young scientists. Greg is receiving this award for for his fundamental work on the determination of high-precision U isotope compositions of meteoritic materials and their implications for early solar system conditions and chronology."